Are You Providing the Right Kind of Feedback for Safety Performance?

A key skill of a good coach is the ability to give feedback in such a way that the person receiving it will either change a behavior, or continue and improve on a behavior, based on the coaching received. For that reason, it’s important that anyone setting out to coach someone else, either in a formal or informal role, understands the three types of feedback, and when it’s appropriate to use each of them.

The first, and most common form of feedback is formative feedback, designed to help the receiver improve safety performance. This is often referred to as constructive criticism, but it is not; criticism is criticism. Formative feedback is best thought of as advice.

Formative feedback must be appropriate to the performer and the job being done. The desired change must be geared to something over which the performer has control. If a process is running at a high level, it is useless and demotivating to suggest that the performer increase output. Similarly, if a performer can do the task well, but is not motivated to do so, formative feedback is useless. She already knows how to perform the task well, she just doesn’t want to. That situation calls for a very different conversation.

When giving formative feedback, two key considerations should be kept in mind: focus and timing. Focus requires you to be specific in the aspect of performance you want improved. For example:

“Bill, I noticed that you’ve been making several trips to the tool shed to get equipment for the job. I know that you only use the right tools for the job, in order to do it safely, and I appreciate that, as safety culture is our goal. What will it take for you to do a check list of all the equipment that is needed for the job, and get them together before going to the job site?”

The second consideration is timing. Formative feedback is best delivered immediately before the next opportunity the performer has to put it into practice. When delivered after the task, and the receiver has no opportunity of putting the advice into practice, the feedback is perceived as criticism.

Advice comes across as helpful, criticism comes across as judgmental. If you can’t be there the next time the performer is scheduled to do the task, write the feedback down and ask the receiver to read the feedback immediately before starting:

“Bill I want to give you some feedback on job prep, but I won’t be here tomorrow at startup. I’ve jotted down a note, but please don’t read it until you’re at prep. Thanks.”

The reaction? Appreciation, and a belief that you are interested in him doing well. It may seem a bit awkward at first, but the payoff will be much greater than if you delivered criticism instead.

Motivational feedback is the second type. It’s basically catching people doing something right, and its aim is to reinforce repeat performance. Motivational feedback should be delivered right after you see the behavior that you want repeated. The key here is to be specific:

“Tom, up until last week, you averaged 40 lines a day. So far this week you’re at 42, and I see that you are doing everything in a safe manner. Great work! What will it take for you to keep at or even improve this rate?”

Motivational feedback, although not used as often as it should be, is a key tool in a coach or leader’s toolkit.

The last type of feedback is extinguishing feedback. This is used when you need to stop a behavior immediately due to the creation of a dangerous or unsafe condition:

“Sam, put out that cigarette; you’re in a no smoking area.”

Ideally, you will have very few opportunities to use this type of feedback.

Following the above tips will make you a more effective coach and leader, and will help you develop the kind of lasting relationships of trust and respect that are critical for a maintaining a safety culture.

That’s it for this edition of Recordable INSIGHTS. Until next time.

~Gene Drumm

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safetyBUILT-IN is the safety-leadership learning and development division of SCInc. We believe sustainable safety performance is best achieved through a core-values based safety culture, and that culture must be driven by leadership. Our safety-leadership programs are competency-based, and focused on performance outcomes. We believe in building capability and ownership into our client organizations—as well as sustainability into our programs—so that our clients can continue running those programs long after we’re out of the picture. Our emphasis is on building better leadership presence, better leadership communication and better leadership coaching by first building relationships of trust with people and learning how to engage them on the level of their core values and beliefs.

Testimonials

“This was one of the best leadership workshops that I’ve been to in my career (simple and effective tools)! It will help drive safety as a core value. I think it will really make people better leaders as a whole. That will drive our overall business in the right direction, starting with safety.” Shawn Myers,… Read more ““One of the Best Leadership Workshops””

“Facilitator was one of the best, if not the best presenter and speaker that I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. I believe this training is important and pertinent enough to allocate the appropriate needed expenditures to ensure that ALL SUPERVISORS AND LEAD PEOPLE from every location in the pipeline attend. I was… Read more ““All Leaders Need to Attend””

“Being a manager of safety comes with many challenges. I have learned over time that the traditional style of safety compliance training, such as videos, generic presentations, etc., may not be totally effective for ensuring our employees understand the pertinent information presented, and how to utilize that information as part of their every day life.… Read more ““Gives Employees a New Way of Thinking …””

“Strong and clear leadership course that brings practical and effective methods to identify opportunities, resolve them, coach, and drive results. Clear, meaningful subject matter, and fantastic materials. Love the ‘do’ focus of the course and the ongoing feedback–and the facilitator actually practices the methods during the course! Informs the mind, but superbly connects to the… Read more ““One of the Best Experiences …””

“Outstanding workshop! It was far more than a safety meeting. This will have an impact on our operation. I am anxious to send my next level of management at the next opportunity.” Joe Gednalske, Director of Product Development

“The safetyBUILT-IN team provided our employees with a perspective on how to view safety such that they want to be involved in leading safety in the organization. The program gave us simple, understandable tools and techniques for leading and coaching not only safety but every other discipline we deal with in the work environment. I… Read more ““Changed Our Mindset About Safety””

In my 25 years of EHS work, I have never seen so much positive response from a Safety program. Typical responses identify the fact that this is so much more than Safety Training – it is Leadership training that will help them in all aspects of their employee engagement efforts. I believe, with continued leadership… Read more ““Transformational””

“I have attended other safety workshops in the past, but none has ever laid out the skills building and leadership qualities like this one. I was fully engaged the entire two days. I can’t wait to practice these skills.” Phil Laudolff | General Mills

“What stood out to me the most was that coaching based on core values is more effective than citing compliance to policies. Every supervisor and manager should attend!” Pat Hodgson, SHE Manager | BAE Systems

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In my 25 years of EHS work, I have never seen so much positive response from a Safety program. Typical responses identify the fact that this is so much more than Safety Training – it is Leadership training that will help them in all aspects of their employee engagement efforts. I believe, with continued leadership… Read more ““Transformational””

“Outstanding workshop! It was far more than a safety meeting. This will have an impact on our operation. I am anxious to send my next level of management at the next opportunity.” Joe Gednalske, Director of Product Development

“I have attended other safety workshops in the past, but none has ever laid out the skills building and leadership qualities like this one. I was fully engaged the entire two days. I can’t wait to practice these skills.” Phil Laudolff | General Mills

“Facilitator was one of the best, if not the best presenter and speaker that I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. I believe this training is important and pertinent enough to allocate the appropriate needed expenditures to ensure that ALL SUPERVISORS AND LEAD PEOPLE from every location in the pipeline attend. I was… Read more ““All Leaders Need to Attend””

“Being a manager of safety comes with many challenges. I have learned over time that the traditional style of safety compliance training, such as videos, generic presentations, etc., may not be totally effective for ensuring our employees understand the pertinent information presented, and how to utilize that information as part of their every day life.… Read more ““Gives Employees a New Way of Thinking …””

“This was one of the best leadership workshops that I’ve been to in my career (simple and effective tools)! It will help drive safety as a core value. I think it will really make people better leaders as a whole. That will drive our overall business in the right direction, starting with safety.” Shawn Myers,… Read more ““One of the Best Leadership Workshops””

“What stood out to me the most was that coaching based on core values is more effective than citing compliance to policies. Every supervisor and manager should attend!” Pat Hodgson, SHE Manager | BAE Systems

“The safetyBUILT-IN team provided our employees with a perspective on how to view safety such that they want to be involved in leading safety in the organization. The program gave us simple, understandable tools and techniques for leading and coaching not only safety but every other discipline we deal with in the work environment. I… Read more ““Changed Our Mindset About Safety””

“Strong and clear leadership course that brings practical and effective methods to identify opportunities, resolve them, coach, and drive results. Clear, meaningful subject matter, and fantastic materials. Love the ‘do’ focus of the course and the ongoing feedback–and the facilitator actually practices the methods during the course! Informs the mind, but superbly connects to the… Read more ““One of the Best Experiences …””